When I was a teenager in late 1960's Philadelphia, the hottest local band was a British-inspired foursome called the Nazz. They had a local hit record, "Hello It's Me," and played psychedelic music at the hippie festivals called be-ins. It took a few years for the group's writer, Todd Rundgren, to break away, re-record "Hello It's Me," and take the tune - and his career - national. In the 1970's the quirky singer developed a large cult following with songs like "Real Man" and "Can We Still Be Friends." In recent decades, he's turned up in wonderfully strange places, like on the soundtrack of the classic film "Dumb & Dumber."

Todd Rundgren

Tuesday, October 20

German House, 315 Gregory St.

8 p.m. | $30 | Bop Shop, Aaron's Alley, ticketmaster.com